And the beard comes off. #artemisfowl pic.twitter.com/J34VG6r5wM
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) March 10, 2018
Filming has begun on Disney's live-action adaptation of Eoin Colfer's book Artemis Fowl. It will be directed by Kenneth Branagh and stars newcomer Ferdia Shaw as the title character, alongside Lara McDonnell, Dame Judi Dench and Josh Gad.
The film - which sees 12-year-old genius Artemis Fowl engaged in a battle against a powerful race of fairies who may be responsible for his father's disappearance - will be shot in England, Northern Ireland and Ho Chi Minh City. The book was adapted for the screen by award-winning playwright Conor McPherson.
McDonnell plays Captain Holly Short, a feisty, spirited elf, who is kidnapped by Artemis for a ransom of fairy gold, while Dench plays Commander Root, the leader of the reconnaissance division of the LEPrecon, the fairy police force, and Gad takes the role of Mulch Diggums, a kleptomaniac dwarf, who attempts to help rescue Holly.
Branagh will again work alongside his Cinderella and Murder On The Orient Express director of photography and composer Haris Zambarloukos and Patrick Doyle. Other collaborators from his Agatha Christie adaptation include production designer Jim Clay and hair and make-up designer Carol Hemming.
Earlier in the week, Gad posted a video on Twitter of himself getting his beard shaved off for the role. He said: "Look at this. I look as if I'm about to go do Tombstone."
